Chat thread - October 16-31st

[chiromama]

Hey all. Since our last weekly chat ended up being two weeks I figured we might as well have a bi monthly thread instead


Question of the week... How are you handling the exhaustion of the first trimester with your current workload (including housework/other kids). What is your current workload, and how will it change when this baby comes?

Well, I'm a chiropractor, run my own practice. I work in a group practice with 6 other women (I'm the only chiro) practitioners. I've been working half time for the past year, and love it. I work one full day, and 3 half days. When we started the IVF protocal, i stretched out the time between patients so that I wouldn't be rushed... and I'm keeping it that way until further notice. I'm just starting to have that 'i'm tired' feeling all the time and can't be too effective at work if I'm not rested. So, I'm seeing less patients, but still working about the same number of hours. It seems I'm pretty worthless on the weekends, Today I spent most of the day lying on the couch! Thankfully my husband is awesome and completely picks up the slack... He's doing many of the things I normally do around the house, he did the grocery shopping this week (and last) and is currently making some soup for dinner.
As for when this baby comes... I plan on taking at least a full 8 weeks off (probably 12), and then gradually going back to seeing patients. I'll probably go back one half day for a while, then two, and eventually work three half days for the first year.

What about you??

[Gray's Mommy]

Well, I just found out I am pregnant, so my work load hasn't changed at all. I work PT in the public school system & have my doula business. I will keep the teaching position until school ends in May & then I don't know what will happen. My class is aging out & may move to another teacher for the 06-07 year. If I do have a class, then I may continue to work PT. Not sure how that will work either since I will be homeschooling my son. Anyways, to drag this out , I don't know what I will be doing

Mary

[MidwifeErika]

I am not quite yet tired, but I am sure that is coming :LOL I am in school half-time, have two kids to care for, and my own homebased business. I am just going to let it all fall apart I think
No, I have actually decided that I need to give up being a procrastinator and work ahead in school and around the house so that I can pace myself a bit more. With my business, I have just given up stressing about any of it. That is how I am coping. If I have the stuff to sell, fine... if not, oh well!
Erika

[Paddington]

i'm going to bed almost as soon as i come home on the weekdays. it is crazy how tired i am sometimes! i don't feel it all day long, but that doesn't stop me from crawling in bed at 9 pm every night. i start a new job on monday. i really hope i have the strength to keep going. and not to mention my birthday is coming up and my sister wants to take me out. now, i haven't told anyone that i am pregnant yet. how to explain to my sister why i am not drinking on my 30th birthday???? not to mention how to get through dinner, a club and she is talking about taking me dancing??? i'm going to so fall asleep....

[Twilight]

I am not handling it well and need to do better. I'm still pulling my usual routine of going to bed between 11 and midnight, waking at 7am, and not napping. I need more. I end each day absolutely exhausted!

I need to get to bed earlier, so with that in mind... goodnight!

[Paddington]

twilight! it is past both our bedtimes. we both need to get off of here! :LOL

[MyLittleWonders]

I'm a sahm with two boys - 4 and almost 2. My best time is morning, so I try to plan something for us then - a walk to the park, up to the mall to run errands, walk with Grandpa, etc. Then it's lunch and nap time. Ds#2 still will nap, especially if I let him nurse the whole time! Ds#1 knows that it's quiet time, which means like 2 hours of TV for him : while I sleep. But, I need my sleep more than he needs to not be watching TV, so I don't worry about it too much! I get very tired the first and third trimesters when pregnant; usually I catch a little break during months 4-6.

In terms of trying to handle work; I try to get a load of laundry or two done in the mornings while we are doing other things, and my dh is really good about picking up stuff when he gets home (he'll typically get the dishes all done and the dishwasher ran before bed).

Unfortunately I'm not sleeping well at all at night (again, pretty par for the course with me and pregnancy). We stay up late (midnight or so), and usually I have to come fall asleep on the couch about 1am. But, I tend to sleep in until about 8:30 with the boys, so it's not too bad. But especially since this is my first pregnancy with not working at all (I was teaching full time with ds#1 and only one class a semester with ds#2), I know I can take it easy and the house will get cleaned when it gets cleaned.

[mountainsun]

I am working out of the home part-time as I have since ds #1 was born. 4 days a week, 8-1. I am so freaking excited to say that I am planning my resignation for the first week in December and taking a GIANT leap of faith and trying to start my own home based business with my Mom. Phew!

I am literally exhausted, feel like I am running on fumes most days. Ds still nurses throughout the night and between that and having crazy preggo dreams, I have not been sleeping well. By the time I put ds to bed around 8 or nine, I ususally pass out, too. Housework....I am really trying to cut myself some slack here because I just cannot keep up right now. Dh does help ALOT, but I really just can't run around right now doing a million things like I was a few months ago

But all in all, I tell myself when I am exhausted and can't see straight that it is SO worth it and I really try to savor every minute of being pregnant.....it is such a special time.

lots of love ladies!

[The4OfUs]

Actually, right now all I'm dealing with is sore boobs and overwhelming nausea - no actual cookie tossing, but a constant level of nausea....I'm just not tired yet. I was tired all the time from the get go with DS, but for some reason I'm not feeling tired...I know it may come....or, maybe I'm not "allowing" myself to be tired, since DS is quite energetic!! :LOL

I do get enough sleep at night though, I'm usually asleep by 10pm and we all get up around 6am, so 8 hours is pretty good as far as I'm concerned...

I plan on working from home as long as I can, and then taking the full 12 weeks off for leave, then doing what I did last time: Working part time for 4 weeks, and then back full time after that, so I can ease back into the flow.

I started with this past paycheck socking a small chunk away to help out during my leave, and gonna see if I'm up to it to pick up some OT nights after DS goes to sleep...we'll need all the help we can get while I'm off work on maternity leave!

[mommy2boys]

I'm a sahm and not handling it like I should. My house is suffering and my poor boys aren't getting as much attention as they are used to. Right now I can't seem to get through the day without a nap. Dh works nights for the next 2 weeks so I can sneak them in with him home. THe nausia is kicking my butt. I've only thrown up once but always feeling like I'm going to sucks. I need to get a seaband bracelet.

[Keeta]

Question of the week... How are you handling the exhaustion of the first trimester with your current workload (including housework/other kids). What is your current workload, and how will it change when this baby comes?

Not very well! I'm really lucky though. I'm a full-time graduate student, and I have class three days a week - not a terribly bad deal. One of these days, though, I'm gone from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. - and it's a Monday! The day from hell. I am soooo exhausted by the time the evening class rolls around, I can barely keep my eyes open (and it's cataloging - not the most interesting of subjects to try to stay awake for!).

My house is teetering on being declared a pit of despair. Thank god it's the last week of the CSA, because I can't keep up with processing all these fresh vegetables (washing so many greens...and then trying to eat them when all I want is mac & cheese!). DH is good for some things like laundry and dishes, but not so much for general pick up and not at all for cooking. I handed him a bag of green beans the other day and said "here, make dinner". and he did - he made a dinner of only green beans! Jeez.

I really feel the exhaustion when I'm in class the most and trying to pay attention. I used to be such a perfectionist with school - it is so not my priority anymore! My motivation is just shot for getting everything *just right*. Now my priority is just getting something done to turn in. :LOL

As far as the future: I graduate at the very end of April (if I can keep my motivation somewhat up!). Then I figure I'll just nest for the next month and half and go crazy cleaning and fixing stuff up. I don't plan on working for a while - I'm really lucky that we can survive on DH's income alone. Eventually I'd like to start volunteering at a local library again, and then down the road even more, i'd ideally like to work at a library very part-time.

[KnittingKara]

Oh, good question, Korin!

I'm a stay at home mom and my husband works long hours (he works in the finance industry and also part time at a home improvement store) so I'm on my own a lot. It's been pretty lo-key around here - and J has probably watched more tv and played on her own more than ever I'm just a zombie right now.

Usually I would just stay up and do housework (okay, knit :LOL ) after J went to bed, but lately I've been crashing around the same time she does. However, she's a late sleeper (don't hate me mamas, but she has slept in until past 8 most mornings for over a year now) and I've been having my burst of energy in the mornings, so now mornings are my time (for knitting and ignoring the housework ).

Yesterday morning I was browning some chicken to make a casserole later (planning on freezing a lot of meals for the upcoming weeks when I know I'll be feeling too tired or yucky to cook) and the smell just got to me. I had to have J run and get Chris to finish the chicken while I tossed my breakfast in the bathroom. I've been getting sick for a few weeks now, off and on, but it sure doesn't seem to be bothering my appetite!

I'm so glad J is potty trained because I couldn't imagine dealing with stinky diapers on top of this queasy stomach. You mamas with kiddos still in dipes have my sympathy and respect

Chris is picking up some of my slack as far as house work goes (and he's taken over caring for the pets and run some errands for me) but really, it's just gonna have to slide for a while until I get some energy again. Maybe when nesting kicks in I'll have a clean house again. J doesn't mind the mess and neither do Chris or I and I figure anyone who would visit and be bothered by it is more than welcome to run the vac or do some dishes if they are so inclined

Caroline248 - welcome and congratulations!

Mary - we're future homeschooler's too : And, I think it's awesome that you are a doula! (do we have other doulas on this ddc? I think we do, right?) My mom was/is a doula and taught Lamaze classes. (I say "was/is" because she is supposed to be retired from it - she's a high school guidance counselor now - but she keeps coming out of retirement to attend births of her children or friends )

[doulanichole]

I literally feel like it is all falling apart around me, but trying not to beat myself up about it too badly because I know it will improve eventually. I have 3 doula clients due in November and I am currently wondering how I am going to survive it, but assume I will since I have done it before. They are the last I have for the year and then I will space them out a little better next year and I think I will stop by March. I also teach childbirth classes and am in the middle of 2 different series right now. I plan to teach at least 2 more series next year before baby arrives. A little over a year ago, I started a birth network and it is probably my biggest stressor by far. We have a borad meeting tonight and I intend to address the fact that they have about 8 months to become pretty independent and do what needs to be done...learning to delegate! LOL Of course all of this comes on top of my 3 kids (4.5, 3.5 and 20 months) and my very messy house. My dh is absolutely wonderful and can take care of the kids, house, etc. with no instruction which definitely cuts down on my anxiety to do it all myself. I am so tired that I could honestly sleep all day!

As far as after baby goes, I won't take doula clients again until the baby is 6-9 months old and then not many at that. I will begin teaching again next August or so.

[CaraboosMama]

Originally Posted by donosmommy04

Actually, right now all I'm dealing with is sore boobs and overwhelming nausea - no actual cookie tossing, but a constant level of nausea.... :

This is where I am with the nausea too! I am only 5 weeks along & constant seasick feelings! With dd#1 I only had a little bit of nausea between weeks 8- 10, so the fact that I am already feeling crappy is making me nervous. I am mostly focusing on being a SAHM right now, but I do run a women's writing group Wed. nights...which we'll have to see how the tiredness progresses...I may have to move it to Sat. afternoons.

The fatigue & nausea haven't affected my time w/ my daughter & husband that much yet - I nap when Caroline naps...and I'm very lucky to have a dh who does tons around the house (whether I'm pregnant or not )

[TryingMommas]

Well, this is my first and I work full-time, more than 40 hours/week (not at home) and I haven't told my workplace yet, so it has been a little weird when I have felt so tired. DP has been great - she just did a *ton* of projects around the house this weekend (I had to work 7 days this past week). Fortunately, still no nausea here <knocking on wood> so it is mostly the fatigue. I don't have to go in to work until later today, but I wish I could just stay home for a few days since I worked all weekend (it was fun, too, in addition to being tiring - I brought a group of youth from my program to the bioneers conference in san raphael).

As for post-baby, I have accrued sick time forever so I will at least have 5 weeks off paid, maybe more depending on how much time off I take between now and June. Ideally, I'd like to take the whole summer off because both of our sisters are getting married in August, too. We haven't really figured out what we will do about work post-baby... one of our incomes won't pay the bills, so maybe one will work FT and one PT? We're not sure yet.

[Caroline248]

I am still in shock that I am actually pregnant and the tiredness I have been feeling is valid! My thirteen month old doesn't sleep through the night yet and we are still nursing strong, so I am sure that will become a problem as the weeks move on. My older two are in school full time, and my four year old goes three mornings a week. I am working part time, but that is flexible and it gets too much, I can leave. Thankfully I don't NEED to work, but I can take the younger kids with me, so I do it.

I have to tell work on Wednesday. I work at a screen printing shop and I am exposed to chemicals during the cleaning process, so I will have to tell them I can't do that job anymore. Otherwise I would have waited...

~C~

[StacyL]

I am doing a terrible job. I'm a SAHM and it is ridiculous how little I can accomplish in a day. My 13 month-old keeps me busy, and between the nausea & fatigue, I can barely function. Cooking has been especially hard (the smells). Dh is gone all the time since he is a med student, so I am really on my own. Although, today he picked up the dog poop in the yard when he came home, cause I don't think I could have taken it.

[StacyL]

All the newbies please post a note on the rollcall. It makes it easier for me to add you to the thread. We have 57 mamas!

Thanks!

[Amys1st]

I am totally exhausted and I am also nausuas for a portion of the day. I do get 8 hours nightly and DD gets up late in the morning- she never was a morning person. But at least one night a week I seem to crash around 8pm. That might be tonight.
Today we had a Momsgroup meeting in the morning and of course today was my day to bring snacks. Then it was my day to volunteer at DD's preschool so of course its a great time to go to the library. So we walked two classes over to the library. I have to go start dinner while I have some energy left but usually when DD goes to school 3 afternoons a week I either work out or nap while she is there. Lately its been napping.

But I was up late last night to watch the White Sox get to the World Series. As a lifetime Chicagoeon, I have been waiting for one of our teams to get there, so it was worth witnessing history. Especially after the Cubs (my real team) blew it 2 years ago. But its bittersweet and any Chicago team is better than none! But its hurting me today with this crazy schedule.
Tomorrow I have an appt for the Dr and then we teach baptism class tomorrow night. So I might crash tomorrow as well.

But yes, the exhuastion is always there lingering in the background. Actually its a nice reminder this is a healthy pregncy and it should keep. kwim?

[loudmama]

At not quite 5 weeks,the nausea comes & goes. The tiredness is amazing! I slept about 8-9 hours last night & I'm beat at 5:30. That's with laying down for awhile. I work PT, so it's better than when I was pregnant with DD. DH has always been cleaner than I, so that's covered!

L